Cameroon – Chinese Laptops: The University of Douala prepares the arrival of computers promised by Paul Biya

Rector François-Xavier Etoa has just ordered the creation of a biometric file of students in this perspective.

Will the distribution of the 500,000 computers promised by the President of the Republic Paul Biya to the students of the public universities be imminent? One could reply “yes” if one sticks to an administrative act taken by the rector of the University of Douala last week. In this memorandum signed on 16 March 2017, with the aim “biometric enrollment of the students of the University of Douala“, François-Xavier Etoa asked “all the heads of institutions” to start the enumeration of the students of their Institutions.

“In order to create a biometric file of the students for the future transfer to the students of the computers that will be granted to them by the Head of State, a team of experts in the matter will stay in your establishment according to the schedule attached. I would be grateful if you would make arrangements for the popularization of this information among your collaborators and students for the unfailing success of this mission, “he wrote.

On July 27, 2016, the Minister of Higher Education Jacques Fame Ndongo announced the availability of 500,000 laptops to university students. He announced that these devices would be manufactured by the Chinese company Sichuan Telecom Construction Engineering Company Limited. The donation of Paul Biya concerns only the academic year 2016-2017. The delay observed in its distribution is subject to a new controversy. The kind of controversy that followed the announcement of the “gesture” of the Cameroonian head of state.